Presenting your 2022 Westfield Local Hero
We are excited to announce your 2022 successful Westfield Local Hero for Fountain Gate.
The successful Westfield Local Heroes organisation, will receive a grant of $20,000 to help them continue to grow their impact in the local community. Westfield will award 126 grants across Australia and New Zealand – totalling $1.26 million.
In early 2023, we will open nominations for the 2023 Westfield Local Heroes program, so start thinking about those people in your communities who make a difference.
Your 2022 Westfield Fountain Gate Local Hero is:
Franca Heins
We Care Community Services Inc
Generous Kind. Empathic
Franca Heins and her team work tirelessly to provide groceries and toiletries to more than 200 local people.
Franca is the driving force behind Dandenong’s We Care Community Services Shed. Before, during and after the COVID lockdowns, she has done everything in her power to ensure people in need receive more than a tonne of fresh fruit and vegetables, dry foods and other essentials every week.
The service is vital in the area as many elderly and unemployed people can't afford to put a meal on the table.
Despite limited funds and resources, Franca and the team enable people in need to go home with enough groceries to feed their family for a week. This was particularly important during the lockdowns, which brought job losses to the already economically stressed community, where many people have faced long-term unemployment.
Franca is proud the community shed has a new cool room, but she is concerned that there isn’t always enough food to meet demand. As a result, she and the team have dreams of taking the shed to the next level, with heavy-duty shelving units to accommodate additional donations.
“I love that we can help so many people, but we want to help more,” Franca says. “The need is so great.”
We Care Community Services will put the grant towards upgrading the shed and buy a heavy-duty pallet lift and shelving.
We also congratulate our finalists who will receive a $5,000 grant for the organisation they represent, and we thank them for their incredible contribution to the local community.
Kay Taranto from Wild Days Wildlife Shelter
Community-minded Kay Taranto saves hundreds of animals a year from the human impact on their environment. She founded the non-profit Wild Days Wildlife Shelter, where she cares for and rehabilitates from 600-800 sick, injured and orphaned native animals a year.
Mary Tresize-Brown from South East Local Learning & Employment Network
Driven Mary Tresize-Brown gives her all to help young parents complete their education. As the manager of the Young Parents Program at the South East Local Learning & Employment Network, Mary has so far helped more than 120 pregnant and parenting people aged 15 to 21 overcome stigmatisation and improve their prospects.
If you need support, please phone Lifeline: 13 11 14
Recognising all our 2022 nominees
View all of the Westfield Fountain Gate nominees and their organisation
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